View Facilities on the Map

The smooth contours and restrained ornamentation of the objects and furniture in this gallery were largely inspired by the art and architecture of the ancient world. Interest in classical antiquity was stimulated by the archaeological explorations of the ancient Roman sites of Herculaneum and Pompeii, rediscovered in 1738 and 1748, respectively. Vases, columns, garlands, and other motifs derived from ancient buildings, sculpture, and paintings influenced the forms and decoration of three-dimensional objects produced in a variety of materials.

The initial, rather literal, dependence on classical decoration gradually became more creative. In the early nineteenth century, Napoleon favored a more formal Neoclassical style heavily indebted to architecture, and intended to evoke France's association with imperial Rome and conquest of Egypt. Napoleon's power ensured the spread of the so-called "French Empire style" to all corners of Europe.